Former State of Origin star Greg Dowling to replace Palmer in Townsville seat

Kelly Burke

Thursday, 18 April 2019 1:12 pm

Palmer introduces new candidate

Clive Palmer has introduced his new candidate for the seat of Herbert, Greg Dowling.

Clive Palmer has announced former State of Origin star Greg Dowling as the United Australia Party's candidate in the seat of Herbert today in Townsville.

Palmer was expected to run in the North Queensland seat, held by Labor's Cathy O'Toole by just 37 votes, but early polling suggested he had little hope of winning.

The billionaire businessman will instead make a tilt for a seat in the Senate.

In recent weeks, residents in the electorate of Herbert have been bombarded with robo calls, television and radio advertisements and giant billboards promising to "make Australia great again".

Former rugby league player Greg Dowling named as the candidate for Clive Palmer's political party in the Townsville seat of Herbert.Image: AAP

The campaign, which Palmer says he intends to spend about $50 million on, has been particularly galling for the hundreds of Townsville-based workers who were sacked from his failed Queensland Nickel refinery.

On Tuesday, Palmer announced he would pay their entitlements, more than three years after they lost their jobs.

He promised Queensland Nickel would post a form on its website for workers to apply for money on May 7, with payments kicking in 14 days after, three days after the federal election.

Dowling is an ex-rugby league front-rower who played throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

A Clive Palmer advertisement for the United Australia Party on Vulture Street in the Brisbane suburb of Woolloongabba.Image: AAP

He was a founding team member of the Brisbane Broncos.

These days the Townsville resident runs an Oporto franchise in Kirwan in the city's west.